My question may be unique -- I cannot find anything about this -- at an idle, what should the boost read? Sunday at WOT I saw 28.76 -- but at idle it generally reads 0.1-0.4 -- bounces around a little -- but is that about right? Also, at WOT and 28+ boost what should the VGT read? I really am trying to sort out what this information is telling me -- not is that normal or average but what is ideal and what represents a red flag -- cut the truck off you have a problem kind of numbers.
Thank you in advance.

Doug

 

You should make 28psi of boost. Idle is around .5-1.5psi unloaded. Even at hard throttle, no load is around the same, won't make significant boost unloaded.

I'd expect VTG to be in the 20% range when making 28lbs boost. 75% range at idle. It shouldn't be 14.9% or 85% when running.

 

Thank you Randy;
I am going to take it for a ride again with my wife watching the gauge -- she has never ridden in it when WOT -- should be interesting -- but the lowest number I have ever seen on the VGT is 40 (and only once) and that was Sunday when I also saw 28+ boost -- no load, no trailer. Is that far enough off to cause concern? Does that suggest something I should be watching?

 

Nope, enjoy the ride!

 

Randy,
Rather long but complicated post.
Yesterday while I had my Excursion idling just outside of my gates -- I went back to close them -- I could clearly hear my exhaust change pitches -- from a "regular" sounding open exhaust to what I can only describe as a very "hollow" sound -- a big difference not something slight -- to then a sound like someone had put their hand over the tailpipe (like the exhaust was spitting trying to get past an obstruction) -- like we used to do to see if there are any exhaust leaks in a car -- then a few seconds later it sounded like the hand was removed and that very hollow sound returned. All of this happened in 20-30 seconds. Then it went back to sounding like someone's hand was over the tailpipe again -- I went to the cab and looked at the scan gauge and it was reading 85 then 84 then 85 on VGT -- it stayed like that until I put it in gear and gave it a little gas -- then it dropped to 65-66. Upon hard acceleration I have seen it drop to 20. Then there is this second concern.

Two weekends ago I put a new injector harness on it. When I finished it was amazing how different the engine sounded -- very throaty and sounded very "even" -- like a sewing machine smooth. I have an H&S Mini Max chip/programmer/device. It was set on the lowest setting before I changed the harness (the first setting is "mild"). I drove the truck to get it to operating temp -- took it home and did the VGT relearn procedure. It ran amazingly well -- tons and tons of power. So much that it scares me a little with how hard it shifted. So I set it back to "no power" and it was obvious that it didn't have any real power. Then I disconnected it and plugged my Scan Gauge back in. All of a sudden there is gobs of power again, hard shifting -- I can only get into the throttle about 1/4 pedal before it jumps back into that power and hard shifting. Can you (or anyone) give me some insights as to what this is about? I can only guess -- but it is as if the Mini Max has reprogrammed something permanently (if that is possible).

Thank you,
Doug

 

84-85% VGT is a commanded value and you really shouldn't see those while running. I'd suspect a stuck unison ring inside the turbo. Unplug the VGT connector and see if its sounding/behaving like you mention above. It shouldn't change pitch with it unplugged and have no power.

The Mini may not remove timing during the shift, why it's banging gears hard. That could hurt the transmission over a period of time. You want timing removed when changing gears so the full force isn't applied to the internals of the tranny when the new gear comes in, it also helps reduce shock to the drive train.

The truck is learning your driving habits and makes adjustment to the programming in the memory. Removing all tuning and going back to stock should force it to forget what tuning it had and any bad it learned. No power isn't stock, the transmission tuning may have stayed = hard shifts.

Putting it in gear gave it a load, in park there is no load and minimal vane movement applied.

 

Thank you for those insights. Let me recap what I think you said and what I think my response to this situation should be.
I need to unplug the VGT connector and with it idling, see if the pitch I heard before is still present. I assume that the rest of that sentence "shouldn't change pitch with it unplugged and have no power" to mean that with it unplugged it will have no power? So it would idle but if I try to drive it with the VGT connector unplugged, it would have no power to move the vehicle (or barely)?

I am not sure how to "remove all of the tuning." I turned the Mini to "No Power" setting but it sounds like you may be saying that the No Power setting is in reality different than "remove all tuning." So does remove all tuning mean I need to have my FICM reflashed (and/or the PCM, etc.)? Can "remove all tuning" be done in my driveway? Because of the outrageous amount of power this thing is making right now -- and the amount of black smoke under acceleration -- coupled with the hard shifts, something seems "stuck" -- definitely extremely more powerful than stock (I could guess 100 HP more -- a guess). Would that be the programming in the FICM?

I do appreciate and value your help.

 

Several types of tuners. Some you leave plugged into the port and go.... that's single level tuning and is not removing timing during the shift... shift on the fly type tuning. Just push a button and load the tune, shifts hard. Unplug the tuner and it's gone.

The better tuners load PCM tuning, save the stock tune to the device you used and can be changed only by reprogramming the PCM... not a shift on the fly type. Multi-level tuning and until you program back to stock, will leave tunes/transmission adjustments behind.


Unplugged VGT would be as you stated, not enough power to get out of the way, exhaust sound never changes.

Its probably smoking black from all the extra fuel and the turbo takes some time to catch up and clean the smoke out by getting the fuel/air ratio right. Smoke stops and power comes fast.

There is PCM tuning and FICM tuning... both different ways to tune, basically adds horse power.

 

1) The Mini is a shift on the fly. However, I now have the tuner set to "No Power" and I have it unplugged so that I can use the Scan Gauge -- it still feels like the tunes are in there. If I plug the tuner back in, the power level calms down quite a bit and the shifts are much more reasonable.
2) I haven't explored the tuner's menu to see if there is a "restore to stock" option. The tuner came with the truck.
3) Tomorrow I have the day off. I will unplug the VGT connector and see what happens. Is there anything to be gained by doing the VGT relearn again?
4) It sounds like I may have to visit my technician again and have him reflash my FICM (to get rid of the lingering tunes) and check my PCM. He has the computer system that Ford uses -- I cannot remember what it is called. If he reflashes my FICM and my tuner says "No Power" will this mean that my Mini will no longer work? I am starting to get nervous about the Mini Max -- I cannot find a place to update it -- seems like they may have gone out of business after the California lawsuit.

 

Don't forget that the truck learns from the device and unless you remove battery cables and kill the keep alive memory (KAM), it will remember for some time. The programming is biased toward the change, when plugged in, it will move toward the aggressiveness, when removed toward stock. Best way to describe it, however.... shift on the fly only tunes on that level and probably doesn't tune the transmission. Its leaving all the power in during the shift, why its shifting hard and that shocks the drive train.

Get yourself a good tuner and some good tunes without risk to the drive train components. They are capable of removing the smoke, adding power where and when its needed and not risk the transmission.

disconnect both batteries and either turn the headlights on for about 30 minutes or touch the two cables together... positive to negative cables to discharge all the capacitors or even touch positive to the body. Just make darn sure they are all disconnected from the battery. That will make it forget anything learned, then reconnect them all and drive the truck a bit. Don't hammer it on the first drive and it will force itself to start from scratch.

 

So here is the latest. I disconnected the wire(s) going into the turbo. No sound changes from the exhaust. The "whistle" is completely gone. The odd thing I wasn't expecting is that it is as "peppy" as it was when I parked it last night. I didn't hammer it but just normal driving through the neighborhood it was exactly as it usually is. I would have no trouble (more than normal) driving it around town. Again, I did not try any hard acceleration but for all intents and purposes, it runs as I parked it last night. The VGT was between 66 and 60 no matter how much gas I gave it -- normally I see a larger difference -- into the 50's through the neighborhood.
So does this suggest I need to pull the turbo and inspect it/clean it? Truck has just under 112,000 miles. I guess this does suggest the electrical part of the turbo is working?
As soon as it is up to normal temps, I am going to go through the procedure (VGT relearn?) you outlined above regarding the batteries.
Again, than you for your help.
Doug

 

OK -- an update. I went back outside and there was no difference in exhaust sound. I checked the scan gauge for ECT and EOT -- the VGT was reading 75. ECT was still at 151 so I took it for a quick spin. The pep was still there -- I got into the throttle and it was sluggish for 3 or 4 seconds and then that insane amount of power kicked in and a hard shift before I could get back out of it. The VGT was fluctuating during the drive between 65 and I saw it at 40 as well.
I am getting ready to disconnect the batteries. Does this tell us anything more? The VGT connector is still disconnected.

 

the vanes shouldn't move with the VGT plug disconnected. It shouldn't have much power and turbo whistle shouldn't sound different at any point..... should be a stead unchanging pitch. With VGT unplugged, it's still commanding VGT changes, but it cannot move the vanes.

Your vanes are stuck. Order a turbo seal/mounting kit. there is a cleaning kit used on the end of a drill some use, wire brush... Be ready to order a new unison ring and watch a couple video's on how. Not a hard job, just be ready to do it right, have your tools lined up and go slow. Watch some video to educate yourself on down/Y-pipe leaks.

 

I assume this is the kit you are speaking of -- Ford, HARDWARE Kit, 3C3Z-9T514-AG -- Amazon has it for 13.00 or so and no shipping. I found it cheaper other places but with expensive shipping costs. This one has 3 bolts same size, 1 smaller bolt, 3 o-rings (1 small and 2 larger), and an oval shaped gasket with three holes in it.
I am going to find some videos and make sure I know what I am attempting to do.
I cannot thank you enough for all of your help.

 

That's the mounting kit.